Nemo Nocturne 15 (Rhapsody for women) Review

The Good

Treated down (DownTek) for water resistance

Generous cut and shape ideal for side sleepers and restless sleepers

Very warm

The Bad

Heavier than many in the class

Bulky

Expensive

THE VERDICT

Among the most expensive bags in our test, the Nemo Nocturne 15’s comfort rating was extremely high, but it was slightly below average in compressibility and its warmth-to-weight ratio—which makes it a good value mostly for those for whom weight and pack room are not major concerns. The unique “spoon shape” shape of the Nemo Nocturne 15 allows for a comfortable night’s sleep in any position, but side-sleepers praised its design the most.

FULL REVIEW

In addition to its unique cut, the Nocturne and its women-specific mate, the Rhapsody, feature 700-fill DownTek – this water-resistant down helps ensure the bag stays warm even in damp conditions.

To further address that goal, Nemo wrapped the footbox in a waterproof/breathable shell to eliminate the common problem of having the end of your bag absorb condensation moisture if you are pushed against your tent wall.

One feature that drew mixed reviews was the Blanket Fold—a broad flap at the neck of the bag. Designed to mimic the feel of a fold of duvet covers on your home bed, some testers loved the thing while others panned it. Lead female tester, Donna, said she liked being able to “scrunch it up around my neck” for a bit of added coziness. I personally found it a useless add-on flap that routinely got in my way while trying to settle into sleep.

CompressibilityThe Nocturne packs into a large 15×9 inch stuff sack, but that soft nylon sack features a roll-top closure that functions like a modest compression device—by pressing the bag down inside so it doesn’t get caught in the rolling closure, we found we could get the bag into a fairly compact 9 by 9 bundle.

Warmth and comfortThe 700-fill down provided adequate insulation well into the mid-20ºs but few of the testers felt it was comfortable in the upper teens–and none of the females wanted to use it in anything colder than the upper 20ºF range. The use of 15-denier nylon in the shell helps keep the weight of the bag down, but the generous cut means more of that fabric is needed compared to more radically tapered mummy bags. The end result is more weight for the warmth provided.

On the comfort side, though, the bag excels. Everyone, regardless of their regular sleeping positions, praised the comfortable fit of the bag, but side-sleepers were especially vocal, seconded by those who tend to change positions frequently throughout the night. The room foot box, and extra wide knee area (to allow those tucked-up legs) were highlights.

DurabilityThe featherweight nylon shell showed a few thread pulls and snags after being used in the rugged terrain of the Escalante basin, but the bags developed no holes or loss of loft. Long-term durability during heavy usage could be an issue given the nature of 15-denier nylon.